Squiggly Careers

This week on the Squiggly Careers podcast, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from a sweet source — the marshmallow experiment — to explore how the science of delayed gratification applies to our work and career choices.Inspired by the famous psychology study, they unpack what it means to make one marshmallow versus two marshmallow decisions — the everyday trade-offs between instant satisfaction and long-term success. From replying to emails and saying yes to everything, to applying for jobs and building relationships, Helen and Sarah share real-life examples of how to recognise and reframe your choices for greater impact.You’ll learn how to spot your own marshmallow moments, connect them to what motivates you most, and choose progress over quick wins (at least some of the time!).Episode 510🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction03:53 The Marshmallow Experiment explained05:43 Why delayed gratification matters for squiggly careers06:43 The shiny object trap — instant wins vs. long-term goals08:13 One vs. Two Marshmallow choices at work10:53 Email decisions — control vs. quality16:23 Saying yes vs. saying no — and why “no” can lead to more impact24:03 Career choices — applying vs. creating opportunities29:03 Building relationships and the “giant marshmallow” payoff30:53 How to spot your marshmallow moments🎯 What You’ll Learn- How to apply the concept of delayed gratification to your career- Why awareness of short-term vs. long-term trade-offs boosts progress- How to make intentional choices that lead to more impact- Ways to balance quick wins with meaningful goals📚 Resources MentionedThe Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marshmallow-Test-Understanding-Self-control-Master/dp/0552168866Delayed Gratification article by James Clear https://jamesclear.com/delayed-gratificationFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

Most of us will change career up to 5 times in our squiggly careers. In this shortcut, Sarah shares why career change isn’t about having the perfect plan — it’s about getting started. She gives three practical ways to make progress without pressure, from small experiments to curious conversations that open new doors.Episode 509🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:🇺🇸 PRH US – https://bit.ly/3KxTeBn🇬🇧 Amazon UK – https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts00:28 Why “perfect plans” hold us back01:05 Idea 1 02:15 Idea 2 03:35 Idea 3 04:50 Why small actions build big confidence05:10 Where to learn more🎯 What You’ll Learn- How to stop overthinking your next move- Why progress matters more than perfection- How to turn small steps into big opportunities- How to reframe uncertainty as growth🎧 For more ideas, listen to Episode 379, where Sarah interviews April Rinne about navigating career change with confidence.For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

This week on the Squiggly Careers podcast, Sarah and Helen borrow brilliance from Vanessa Urch Druskat’s research on team emotional intelligence, first featured in Harvard Business Review.While emotional intelligence is often talked about at an individual level, this episode explores what happens when you apply it to teams — and how emotional awareness can build motivation, trust, and high performance together.Sarah shares how she used AI (Claude) to turn Druskat’s research into a practical team emotional intelligence quiz, helping teams assess their habits and find simple ways to improve.Episode 508
🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:35 What is team emotional intelligence and why it matters03:41 Awareness + action: how teams build emotional understanding06:30 Sarah’s experiment09:20 The three key dimensions of team emotional intelligence10:50 Understanding each other better13:30 Action idea: Challenge & Build feedback ritual21:40 Action idea: Scenario planning made simple 33:45 Action idea: Mapping and Mattering*to stay connected38:00 How often should teams check in on their emotional intelligence?🎯 What You’ll Learn- What team emotional intelligence means and why it drives performance- How to assess and improve your team’s emotional awareness- Practical tools to create more connection, curiosity, and collaboration- How to use AI to help your team learn and reflect together- Ways to turn feedback, reflection, and stakeholder mapping into routinely rituals For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

✨ Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts— a series from the Squiggly Careers podcast, bringing you quick career tips in just 5 minutes, every Thursday. In this shortcut, Helen shares three practical ways to stand out with senior stakeholders — the people who can influence your impact, support your development, and open up new opportunities. Whether it’s your manager or another leader in your organisation, these ideas will help you build better relationships and be remembered for the right reasons.Episode 507🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US – https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK – https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts00:28 Why senior stakeholders matter01:05 Idea 1 – Position yourself as a peer02:10 Idea 2 – Go further with your follow-up03:55 Idea 3 – Build connections they care about05:10 Where to learn more🎯 What You’ll Learn- How to build confidence and connection with senior stakeholders- Why going beyond “thank you” helps you stand out- How to add value by linking people and priorities🎧 Listen to Episode 334 to learn more: https://youtu.be/N_J9EySKxgg?si=6NRrcjFlDINWtVdpFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/🏃‍♀️ Join the Skills x AI Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=l7kODG3JpopH0Irz📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

This week on the Squiggly Careers podcast, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from an unexpected source — the psychology of seats. Inspired by a conversation about how we choose where to sit, Helen talks about how your seating choices can shape the way you feel, behave, and influence others at work. From safe seats that help us feel in control to power positions in meetings and even virtual seating on video calls, this episode reveals how something as simple as your seat can affect confidence, inclusion, and collaboration. You’ll leave with small, practical shifts to help you show up differently — and boost your impact and influence at work.Episode 506🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Announcement 01:54 Borrowing brilliance from the psychology of seats03:54 Why where you sit says more about you than you think07:54 Seat safety — comfort, confidence, and control12:34 Power seats — what your meeting position communicates15:54 Round tables, rectangles, and creating collaboration20:04 The height effect20:54 No-seat meetings22:54 Virtual seats29:54 Inclusion, confidence, and creating space for others🎯 What You’ll LearnWhy your seat can shape your confidence and influenceHow seating choices affect team dynamics and inclusionHow to use “seat psychology” to build better meetings and connectionsSimple ways to change where (and how) you sit to boost your impact📚 Resources MentionedLearning Cog: https://www.learningcog.comThe Long Win by Kath Bishop: bit.ly/4he0Rt4For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

✨ Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts — a series from the Squiggly Careers podcast, bringing you quick career tips in just 5 minutes, every Thursday. In this shortcut, Sarah shares three practical reframes to help you quieten your inner critic — the fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs that hold you back in your squiggly career. From fear of failure to feeling “not good enough” or being put on the spot, we all have gremlins trying to stop us.Episode 505🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 What are confidence gremlins?00:42 Reframe 101:38 Reframe 203:21 Reframe 304:55 Where to go next for more🎯 What You’ll LearnHow to spot the confidence gremlins holding you backThree practical reframes to shift your mindset and take actionWhy focusing on small, achievable steps builds resilience and self-belief🎧 Listen to Episode 387 to learn more: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ORexpOPpBQgp94cOmR6FE?si=kPkUOUxcTduREjGiQZm4VgFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

This week on the Squiggly Careers podcast, Sarah and Helen borrow brilliance from an unexpected source — maps. Inspired by Jürgen Appelo’s Substack post “I Started Drawing Maps”, they explore how mapping can help you find clarity, confidence and direction in your squiggly career.You’ll hear about five different types of maps you can create to understand yourself and your work better — from mapping your energy and relationships to visualising your skills, possibilities and problems.Episode 504🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction — Borrowing brilliance from maps01:00 Why maps matter for our squiggly careers06:40 The value of visuals for clarity and creativity08:37 Map 1: Energy Map13:30 Map 2: Give–Gain Map18:45 Map 3: Skills Map24:15 Map 4: Possibilities Map30:00 Map 5: Problem Map 38:00 How to pick the right map for you🎯 What You’ll Learn- How visual thinking can bring clarity to your career- Five creative ways to map your work and growth- How to use maps for reflection, self-awareness, and team development- Practical examples you can try right away📚 Resources Mentioned I Started Drawing Maps by Jürgen Appelo https://substack.jurgenappelo.com/p/i-started-drawing-mapsThe Secret Language of Maps — Stanford Design School https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Language-Maps-Stanford-D-School/dp/1984858009AI Skills Sprint: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQl9gsac8BXnWe2qoGuHkLKwsygjP_Ma&si=5fD8VGW4Z46LgJFr For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

✨ Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts — a series from the Squiggly Careers podcast, bringing you quick career tips in just 5 minutes, every Thursday.In this shortcut, Helen shares four powerful questions to help you make a difficult career decision. When you’re weighing up your next move, it’s easy to get stuck in overthinking or uncertainty. These questions are designed to help you zoom out, get clear on what matters most, and move forward with confidence.Episode 503🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome to Squiggly Shortcuts00:28 Why career decisions can feel difficult01:05 Question 1 – Create distance02:10 Question 2 – Get data03:05 Question 3 – Discuss04:20 Question 4 – Define your drivers🎯 What You’ll Learn- How to make big career choices feel more manageable- A practical four-step framework for clarity and confidence- Why connecting with your ‘why’ builds resilience in tough moments🎧 Listen to Episode 297 to learn more: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oGa9JECFTOqKn79TPuZAQ?si=UhFXcSXkQ-Ki-2skkumLIQFor questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/

What does it mean to live — and work — with moral ambition? In this episode of the Squiggly Careers podcast, Sarah introduces ideas from Rutger Bregman’s book Moral Ambition and Helen helps turn them into practical actions you can apply in your own career.You’ll hear why moral ambition is about using your 80,000 working hours wisely, how to close the belief–behaviour gap, and what small steps you can take to make a bigger difference. Together, Helen and Sarah explore how to connect Bregman’s big ideas to the everyday reality of squiggly careers.Episode 502🦞 Pre-order Learn Like A Lobster:PRH US - https://bit.ly/3KxTeBnAmazon UK - https://amzn.to/3KcRZaR⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction02:18 Moral ambition05:59 The belief–behaviour gap (what we say vs. what we do)12:01 Action 119:23 Action 223:58 Action 329:36 Reflections🎯 What You’ll Learn-What moral ambition is and why it matters- How to spot your own belief–behaviour gaps- Practical ways to volunteer and use your strengths for impact- How to extend your positive influence beyond your current circle- Why finding morally ambitious role models helps you take action For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email helenandsarah@squigglycareers.comMore ways to learn about Squiggly Careers:📩 Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/📮 Get Squiggly Careers in Action in your inbox: https://bit.ly/SquigglyCareersInAction📚 Read our books: The Squiggly Career and You Coach You: https://www.amazingif.com/books/